A recent update from a federal court in San Francisco reveals ongoing dissatisfaction with Google’s handling of key legal protocols. The crux of the issue is the company’s alleged failure to establish a litigation hold on employees’ electronic chats, a move that is often necessary to preserve potential evidence in legal proceedings. Google’s chief legal officer’s response to this issue has reportedly failed to placate the presiding judge.
Meanwhile, in a parallel trend within the legal sector, there appears to be a broader shift towards cost efficiency. A recent study highlighted that general counsels are transferring more work in-house in an attempt to mitigate their outside counsel expenses. This comes at a time when law firm rates are reported to be escalating, creating financial strain for corporations requiring substantial legal services.
In the transparency of the digital age and with the boom of corporate litigation, these two developments highlight crucial aspects of the corporate legal landscape. Companies’ responsibilities towards digital evidence management are being scrutinized, while at the same time, economic considerations are seeing a strategic move towards greater self-reliance in legal matters. Further details on these stories can be found here.